Working Together

Intermediate-Low
Proficiency Range
Working Together
To support families and teachers in realizing the goals of the Colorado
Academic Standards, this guide provides an overview of the learning
expectations for world languages and offers some possible learning
experiences students may engage in as they progress through the
intermediate-low proficiency range of language development.
Why Standards?
Created by Coloradans for Colorado students, the Colorado Academic
Standards provide a grade-by-grade road map to help ensure students
are ultimately successful in college, careers, and life. The standards
aim to improve what students learn and how they learn in ten content
areas, emphasizing critical-thinking, creativity, problem solving,
collaboration, and communication as important life skills in the 21st
century.
World Languages for Elementary
and Secondary Schools (K-12)
The world language standards create a roadmap to guide students in
the process of learning a new language and understanding diverse
cultural perspectives, as well as developing insights into their own
language and culture. The standards reflect a performance-based
discipline which emphasizes communication skills (speaking, listening,
reading, and writing) in a new language to navigate real-life situations.
Students use the newly acquired language while making connections
with other academic disciplines and comparisons of cultural practices
and products, preparing them to participate more fully in the global
community and the international marketplace.
Where can I learn more?
• Contact your school district regarding local decisions related to standards, curriculum, resources, and instruction.
• Colorado Academic Standards Booklets: http://www.cde.state.co.us/standardsandinstruction/GradeLevelBooks.asp
• Anna Huffman, Principal Standards Specialist at 720-626-2052, [email protected]
Intermediate-Low
Proficiency Range
Language Proficiency Range Levels
Language proficiency refers to the degree of skill with which a person can use a language to understand, speak, read,
write, and listen in real-life situations. Colorado’s standards provide guidance for the introduction of a new language
(novice-low) through the minimum proficiency range deemed postsecondary and workforce ready (intermediate-mid).
Progression through levels of proficiency is influenced by program design (grade levels, competency-based programs,
time for language instruction) and a student’s individual rate of acquiring language.
World Languages Learning
Expectations for
Intermediate-Low Proficiency Range
Throughout the Intermediate-Low
Proficiency Range,
you may find students… (using the
target language to…)
Interpersonal Mode
(Speaking and Writing)
•
Ask and answer questions and carry on discussions
related to various subjects (history, math, science, art,
business, language, or literature).
•
Interpretive Mode
(Listening, Reading, and Viewing)
Write a draft of a presentation that will be delivered
orally, as a written document, and/or as a multimedia
project.
•
Identify the main idea in short, simple messages,
presentations, and texts on familiar topics; explain the
main idea of simple conversations.
Compare how different time-frames are expressed in
the target language and their native language.
•
Compare attitudes, cultural perspectives, and/ or
reactions to current events of global importance in
countries where the target language is spoken.
Presentational Mode
(Speaking and Writing)
•
Describe the main idea and significant details about
cultural practices or products (found in newspapers,
magazines, websites, TV, radio, video, and other print
and online sources).
Participate in conversations on a number of familiar topics
using simple sentences; handle short interactions in
everyday situations by asking and answering simple
questions.
Orally present and write brief information on most familiar
topics using a series of simple sentences.